Because of You
by Phantasma'sRose
Summary: A little one shot about why Christine might have left Raoul. Short and Sweet. E/C


**Sadly I don't own Phantom. I DO get some credit for the altered lyrics of 'Angel of Music'. Hope you like this short little one-shot. WARNING: Raoul bashing**

Raoul's POV

"Where have you been?" I asked, nursing my fourth glass of whiskey. The fire was getting brighter as I kept drinking; the flames morphing into shapes and people that I'd rather not see for the rest of my life.

"I was just out visiting Meg. Why, dear?"

"At the opera house?" I rubbed my aching forehead.

"Yes…" her voice seemed unsure, even frightened.

"We're you rolling around in sheet, dear?" I spat. I heard Christine drop her cloak as well as the cloak hanger falling to floor, which only irritated my throbbing head further.

"Raoul? How much have you drank tonight?"

"How much have I drank?" I asked, standing up and facing her, "Plenty dear, just enough to numb the pain that demon creates."

She knew exactly who I was talking about as I advanced to her. Each step I took, she took an equal, if not larger, step back out of the room.

"Raoul, I don't know what-"

"Don't be like that Christine," I cut her off, "Don't act as though you haven't got a clue of what I'm talking about. I've seen the roses you still bring home every time you go out. Maybe I see them for a split second before you tuck them into another vase, but they're there."

"Darling…"

"Just don't Christine. I've sent for the police to go back down and kill the monster."

"Raoul, you can't please!"

"I knew it."

"Raoul, please, he's weak as it is already, please don't let them go down!" She ran forward now, clutching my arm. Only to save her demon. I pushed her away, probably more forcefully than necessary. I looked at Christine for the first time since the "accident". Really actually looked at her. Her hair unpinned, whereas before she left was pinned into a neat bun, has splayed across her shoulders. Her eyes, her big brown eyes revealed pain beyond her years and were filled with fear. Fear of me, fear for her angel, but no fear of our love becoming extinct. She looked so innocent in everywhere but her eyes. They were plagued with guilt.

"I don't know why you try to defend that demon. He's murdered innocent men; probably visited a few whorehouses-"

" You only know his face, you don't know his heart! He's done nothing of the sort! Just, just…"

She aimed a blow at my chest. I laughed.

"Did that make you feel better, dear?" I asked. She jutted out her chin defiantly. "Good." I replied, smacking my hand across her cheek, pulling it back to reveal a red mark on her skin. "So did that."

Christine sucked in a shaky breath and her eyes glistened, glazing over with tears. She turned and fled out of the room, leaving me with clenched fists and n escalating anger. I heard out bedroom door slam and went after her.

Christine's POV

I slammed the door to our room and locked it behind me, wiping tears from my eyes and clutching my swollen, bruised cheek. I felt repulsed to call this _our_ room.

My cheek pounded as I wandered around the room, throwing the few things I wanted to keep in a small bag. A few dresses, papa's violin, and a blue and black tiered necklace that Erik gave me. Erik… He would never treat me this way.

Just as I buttoned up the bag, loud bangs resounded around the room. Raoul could be heard from the other side.

"Open the door Christine, or so help me, I'll make sure it's locked for the rest of your miserable life."

I shouldered the bag, trying to fit it under my arm comfortably and grabbed the door knob. I took a breath as I turned it slowly but then I pushed it open forcefully, hitting Raoul hard in the face to get a head start. I ran down the hallway with Raoul close behind me, to close for my liking.

I pushed even harder and burst into a faster run and slammed open the front door taking off into the night. The moon supplied a sufficient glint of light to see my way to the opera house to the man that I know I love and will love for the rest of my life.

The opera house was locked so I went around back to a window in the chapel. Meg and I always used to sneak out here when we were children and catch fireflies in the middle of the night. Madame Giry would always lecture us about how we were always so tired in the morning, but she never knew why.

I could hear Raoul's bangs on the front door and knew the managers would let him in at any moment, so I hurriedly started singing.

_Angel of music, guide and guardian_

_Save me from this horror_

_Angel of music, do not shun me_

_Please hear my plea, angel_

I heard footsteps on the stair down to the chapel and started to panic, but a series of bricks shifted in the wall and Erik stood there with a confused and concerned expression and outstretched arms.

I ran to him and the wall moved back into place behind us. I hugged him and buried my face into his chest as he held me protectively. Raoul's and another opera worker's voice echoed around the room on the other side of the wall.

"She ain't here sir. She didn't come in, the doors were locked, as you found."

"She was. I heard her."

The voices traveled back up the stairs and I hugged Erik, still letting tears flow. He lifted my face with a finger under my chin and looked at the bruise that had formed on my cheek. This seemed to make him understand. I hugged Erik once again.

"Please don't make me leave. I don't- I didn't think he would ever-"

"Shh," Erik cooed soothingly, "Nothing you don't want my dear." I listened to Erik's voice. Almost magical. The way he said dear and didn't spit 'dear' out the way Raoul had just earlier that night.

"I really do love you. I'm sorry it took so long for me to understand myself."


End file.
